K-selected species possess relatively stable populations and tend to produce relatively low numbers of offspring; however, individual offspring tend to be quite large in comparison with r-selected species. K-selected species are characterized by long gestation periods lasting several months, slow maturation (and thus extended parental care), and long life spans. In addition, they tend to inhabit relatively stable biological communities, such as late-successional or climax forests (seeecological succession).

Population growth in K-selected species behaves according to the logistic growth equation:

In this equation N is the number of individuals in the population, t is time, and r is the biotic potential.

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